Effects of Sand Dune Stabilization on Plant Diversity of Interdune Lowlands in the Semi-Arid Sand Dune Fieds

Abstract

Considering each interdune lowland as a self-contained unit, we investigated species composition of 15 interdune lowlands in stabilized and active dunes, respectively, and identified the relationship of species richness and lowland area. The results showed that 1) with the enlargement of lowland area, the overall species richness of interdune lowlands in stabilized and active dunes increased logarithmically. When the area was the same, richness of stabilized dunes was more than that of active dunes. 2) with the increasing of lowland area in stabilized and active dunes, psammophytes richness relative to the overall species richness decreased logarithmically. When the area was the same, the percentage in lowlands of active dunes was more than that of stabilized dunes. Therefore, We concluded that dune stabilization, on one hand, raises species richness and on the other, leads to the loss of endemic or rare psammophytes in interdune lowlands.